Photo : Messenger
The nation is set to observe 'Amar Ekushey', the Language Martyr's Day (Shaheed Day) and the International Mother Language Day on Wednesday (21 February), marking the supreme sacrifice of the language heroes for upholding the dignity of mother tongue Bangla.
The day will also be observed around the world as the UNESCO recognised the Ekushey February as the International Mother Language Day on November 17, 1999.
This year's theme of the International Mother Language Day is ‘multilingual education: a pillar of learning and intergenerational learning”.
Walking barefoot to Dhaka’s Central Shaheed Minar with wreaths and flowers singing 'Amar bhaiyer rokte rangano Ekushey February', people from all walks of life will pay their respect to the heroes of the Language Movement who sacrificed their lives for achieving the recognition of Bangla as the state language of erstwhile Pakistan.
On February 21, 1952, students and the common people in Dhaka took to the streets in protest against the then Pakistani government's denial of Bangla as the national language and imposition of Urdu as the only official language of Pakistan.
Salam, Barkat, Rafiq, Jabbar and a few other brave sons of the soil were killed in police firings on this day in 1952 when students came out in a procession from the Dhaka University campus breaching section 144 to press home their demand for the recognition of Bangla as a state language of then Pakistan.
The day is a public holiday. In observance of the day, the Central Shaheed Minar premises is being decorated with paintings, graffiti, buntings and selected verses on the mother language.
Tight security measures will be enforced around the Central Shaheed Minar, its adjoining areas and Azimpur graveyard of the language martyrs.
Different political, social, cultural, professional bodies including the ruling Awami League, have taken various programmes including cultural functions to observe the Amar (immortal) Ekushey in a befitting manner.
The national flags will be kept half-mast in a proper manner having accurate size at all the buildings of government, semi-government, autonomous and private organisations and educational institutions.
All educational institutions, local government bodies, district and upazila administrations, Bangladesh missions abroad will take proper measures to observe the day.
Messenger/Disha
